If you have a severe allergy to bees and have a child, it is important to have your child tested to see if they too are allergic to bees. There are many options when it comes to testing for an allergy to bees and your child's doctor will be able to help you determine which option is the best for your child. The following guide walks you through the steps to take to ensure that your child is properly protected from a potentially deadly bee sting.

Take Your Child to the Pediatrician

The first thing you will need to do is you will need to take your child to their pediatrician. Explain that you are allergic to bees and would like to have your child tested to see if they are allergic as well. If you have any other severe allergies, it is important to tell the doctor so that they can order tests for those allergens at the same appointment so that your child does not have to come back again and again for allergy testing.

Take Your Child to Be Tested for Allergies

Your doctor will give you a referral to be tested for all of the allergies you think that they may have. The allergist will more than likely conduct a skin prick test on your child to determine if they are allergic to anything. The skin prick test can be a bit scary for children because it does involve their skin getting pricked multiple times to see if they have a reaction to an allergen. It provides you with results within a very short period of time though and is not overly invasive, which makes it the preferred method for most allergists.

A small spot on your child's skin will be exposed to the different allergens. A small prick will then be made to see if your child has a reaction to the allergen once it gets under the skin. If the skin starts to swell, turn red, or becomes itchy, it will let the allergist know that your child does have an allergy to that particular allergen.

If it has been determined that your child is allergic to something, the allergist will then determine how severe the allergy is and come up with a plan of action to ensure that your child is treated properly if they come into contact with the allergen. Some allergies are mild enough that taking an antihistamine upon exposure, while others are so severe that they require treatment with epinephrine right away. Knowing how to properly treat your child when they are exposed to an allergen could save their life one day so it is essential to get the testing done immediately.